Inspired in the Temple

By Nancy del Plain

The prompting came again, except this time it was stronger.

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One of the many important things my husband helped me learn during his lifetime was the value of going to the temple frequently. His goal was for us to attend weekly, but many times as a young mother of four I went with him out of a feeling of duty rather than desire.

One Friday afternoon as my husband and I participated in an endowment session, an impression came clearly to my mind that I needed to renew my teaching certificate. I was surprised by the impression. I was a very happy stay-at-home mom and thoroughly believed in the prophets’ counsel that mothers should be at home with their children if at all possible.1

Several years earlier, when my youngest child entered preschool, I had begun teaching toddler labs three mornings a week for our community college. This had been necessary for financial reasons, and I had been blessed to find this job, which coincided with my daughter’s preschool schedule and allowed me to be home when she was at home. Why then would I receive an impression that would take time away from being with my children? I decided I would look into the recertification process, and my mind returned to the endowment session.

When we arrived home from the temple, it was late, and the next day was busy. Within a few days I forgot about the inspiration I had received. My husband and I continued to attend the temple regularly over the next several weeks, but the thought of renewing my teaching certificate didn’t return to my mind.

Then, two months later during another endowment session, the same impression again entered my mind, except this time it was even stronger. I knew that I needed to heed the prompting. I told my husband about my two experiences, and he wholeheartedly supported my efforts to renew my teaching certificate.

The steps to do so just seemed to fall into place, and within a few months I had renewed my certificate. Still, I wondered what I was supposed to do now that I had it.

I decided that since school was still in session, I would try substitute teaching in district positions that didn’t conflict with the hours my children would be at home. In less than one week, I found a permanent substitute job that lasted until the end of the school year. I saw blessings continue to flow as I acted on the prompting I had received. The following September I decided to substitute teach full time as long as it didn’t interfere with our family life. Two weeks later, through another substitute teaching job, I was offered a permanent half-day position as an assistant teacher. My husband and I felt strongly that I should take the position, and so I did.

One year later my husband was diagnosed with cancer. My job allowed us to keep the medical insurance we needed, as well as the part-day freedom to take care of our family’s other needs. My husband passed away after two years of debilitating illness, but I could see that the Lord had placed me in the perfect position to handle the challenges that came our way. The following September I was promoted from assistant teacher to lead teacher, giving me the time and means to support my family as well as pursue a higher degree.

In my experiences since then, I have learned that remarkable blessings come as we attend the temple frequently and with a willing heart. In 1 Nephi 18:3, Nephi’s comments about his spiritual life show us the blessings of going frequently to the temple. In the land of Bountiful he was prompted to go to a mountain—a place of peace and refuge away from everyday life—where he could pray and receive instructions from the Lord. He says, “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.” It is my testimony, too, that when we go to the temple often and listen carefully to the whisperings of the Spirit, we also will have great things shown unto us by the Lord.